Sumi-e Painting with Color for Floral Illustrations
A course by Koshu (Akemi Lucas), Artist and Teacher
Joined October 2020
Sumi-e Painting with Color for Floral Illustrations
Joined October 2020
Sumi-e painting is a Japanese art form that allows you to capture the beauty and complexity of the world through creative inking techniques. Koshu is the identity of Akemi Lucas, a Japanese artist, teacher, and qualified shodō Master based in the UK. She has collaborated with clients such as Kokoro Gin, the World Rugby Awards, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and was also featured in the Tokyo Weekender magazine.
In this online course, develop your skills in sumi-e painting by creating four different plant compositions using the Senbyouhou and Tsuketatehou techniques. Deepen your knowledge of the brush movements, textures, and ink effects, then introduce color and explore the seal making process.
If you’re new to sumi-e painting, Koshu takes you through the fundamentals of the art form in her first course, Introduction to Sumi-e Painting.
What will you learn in this online course?
19 lessons & 25 downloads
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know artist and teacher Koshu. She briefly outlines the course and talks about three figures who have influenced her work and her life in general.
Explore the materials required for the course, then work your way through some exercises using the Senbyouhou, Kasure, and Choboku techniques to help with brush movement and ink effects.
Get some ideas for your composition, then grab your brushes! Your teacher guides you through painting persimmons and magnolias in Senbyouhou, then a rose and an iris in Tsuketatehou.
The final part of the process is the seal. Koshu shares a brief overview of the history and meaning behind seals, then talks you through the process of making one.
- 100% positive reviews (65)
- 3,753 students
- 19 lessons (3h 53m)
- 25 additional resources (12 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Intermediate
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Develop your skills in sumi-e by painting four kinds of colorful plants: persimmon, magnolia, rose, and iris, using the Senbyouhou and Tsuketatehou techniques.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This intermediate course is for artists who want to develop their skills in sumi-e painting and understand how to compose and create their own artworks.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, you need to be familiar with the materials, basic brush movements, and ink control.
As for materials, you need:
- • Felt cloth
• A paperweight and an inkstone
• An ink stick or liquid ink
• 2 water jars and 4 small plates
• Gansai or watercolor paint
• Paintbrushes of various sizes
• Different types of paper
• Paper towels
• A thick piece of paper cut into a circle
• An old toothbrush
• A sieve or metal mesh
Reviews
Koshu (Akemi Lucas)
A course by Koshu (Akemi Lucas)
Koshu is an artist and qualified shodō Master with a deep connection to the Zen philosophy of Japanese calligraphy and sumi-e painting. She became a qualified calligraphy teacher at 24 and had her own calligraphy school with over 250 students until she relocated to the UK. She continues to share her passion with others through workshops, online teaching, demonstrations, and lectures.
Koshu creates commissions for a wide range of international clients. Her work can be seen on labels for KokoroGin, at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and in advertising campaigns for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her calligraphy work featured in the Hyper Japan Festival 2022 and her first sumi-e painting book is to be published by Bloomsbury in 2024.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Materials and Basic Brush Techniques
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Presentation of Material: Paper
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Senbyouhou and Kourokuhou Techniques with a Small Brush
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Kasure Technique
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Tsuketatehou Technique with Ink Effects
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Tsuketatehou Technique with Ink Effects and Use of Colours
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U3
Senbyouhou and Tsuketatehou Compositions
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Ideas on Composition
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Persimmons in Senbyouhou 1
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Persimmons in Senbyouhou 2
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Persimmons in Senbyouhou 3
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A Magnolia in Senbyouhou 1
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A Magnolia in Senbyouhou 2
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A Rose in Tsuketatehou 1
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A Rose in Tsuketatehou 2
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An Iris in Tsuketatehou 1
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An Iris in Tsuketatehou 2
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U4
The Seal
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About the Seal
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Seal Making
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FP
Final project
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Sumi-e Painting with Color for Floral Illustrations
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
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Watch professionally produced courses
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate learners looking to advance their Sumi painting and Japanese calligraphy skills with specialized techniques and expressive compositions.
You will need Sumi ink, Gansai colors, various brushes, different types of paper like Onshuhishi and pulp paper, and tools for seal making such as carving implements and seal stones.
You will learn advanced ink control, brush techniques, composition tips, color integration, seal design, and the cultural and spiritual aspects of Sumi painting and calligraphy.
Some basic familiarity with Sumi painting or calligraphy is recommended, as the course covers intermediate and advanced techniques.
Yes, the course covers traditional seal making, including selecting scripts, carving positive and negative seals, and placing them correctly on your artwork.
Yes, you will learn how to blend Gansai colors and integrate them into Sumi paintings for expressive effects.
You will practice Chokuhitsu, Sokuhitsu, Tsuketateho, Saki-guma, Kataguma, and Sembyoho techniques for creating varied lines, textures, and expressive effects.
Excellent course with great examples.
Great course, I started from this one but I am going to purchase the 1st part as indeed, I am missing few basics.
Me ha encantado, muy completo y bien explicado
Akemi es una gran MAESTRA con letra mayúscula. Es de un nivel muy superior y plasma en sus enseñanza su cultura y educación. Su manera de mostrarnos el Sumi-e es impecable. En mi opinión lo mejor que he hecho en Domestika.
Maravilloso y precioso curso!!